"He's out there playing and competing, and the last time I checked, he's only had two drops and we all remember what games they were in, right?" Shurmur said. "We see it differently than you do, but we know exactly what routes are called and the adjustments of the routes depending on the coverage. We certainly see it differently than you do."

Cooper's numbers will see more scrutiny this year because the wideout is making more money (he signed a five-year, $22.5 million). Of course, the addition of Jeremy Maclin and Darren Sproles weren't going to help Cooper see more targets. Until defenses significantly shift the way they cover the Eagles, he'll remain a strong blocking option and secondary receiver.

In the meantime, he is lucky to have coaches and teammates who are willing to point that out.